By Jennifer P. Rendon
The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has claimed its first fatality in the ranks of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6.
Police Executive Master Sergeant Angelito Parreño of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) died while undergoing treatment in Laguna province on Aug 19, 2020.
The 52-year-old Parreño was ICPO’s City Executive Senior Police Officer (CESPO).
Parreño flew to Manila in early July 2020 to attend the Officers Candidate Course (OCC) at the National Police Training Institute in Laguna where he was infected with the virus.
Some friends and colleagues had advised him against pushing through with the training citing the rising COVID-19 cases in Luzon.
But it did not deter him from pursuing his plans to be a police official.
He initially planned to travel by sea but he later secured an airline flight.
“He almost didn’t make it on the day of his flight because he got delayed,” a colleague said.
It was unclear when Parreño began to experience symptoms associated with COVID-19 but reports claimed he was rushed to Calamba Medical Center on Aug 3.
There were also reports citing that the policeman had comorbidity as he had diabetes.
It was gathered that Parreño’s condition improved as his lungs and oxygen level got better.
However, it was reported that he had complications in other organs.
It is believed that he suffered from stroke or a heart attack or even kidney failure.
PRO-6 learned Wednesday that Parreño died.
Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said three police officers added to the list of COVID-19 infected personnel
One of whom is detailed with the Regional Personnel and Records Management Division (RPRMD) and the two are from ICPO.
The RPRMD personnel is from Anilao, Iloilo and is now on facility quarantine while the two ICPO personnel are admitted to a hospital.
The RPRMD officer received a positive result after being tested last Aug 15.
“Contact tracing is now being conducted by the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division,” Malong said.
Meanwhile, the office of RPRMD is temporarily closed for disinfection and all personnel from the said office will observe quarantine and will be subjected for RT-PCR Test.
Malong said office operations will resume immediately after disinfection and will be manned by officers who tested negative.
As of Aug 20, records from the RPRMD on the monitoring of COVID-19 cases among PRO6 personnel indicated that 11 personnel who tested positive have recovered or were discharged from the isolation facilities, while 13 are under quarantine or considered as active cases.
